Self-operated checking locker system having a single slug rejector



Nov. 8, 1955 R. L. TIMMS SELF-OPERATED CHECKING LOCKER SYSTEM HAVING A SINGLE SLUG REJECTOR Filed Jan. 25, 1952 Y I /4Q 1 27a 270 INVENTOR. Ross L. Timms ATTORNEYS United States Patent SELF-OPERATED CHECKING LOCKER SYSTEM HAVING A SINGLESLUG REJECTOR Ross'Lv Timms, Akron, Ohio Applicafion January 25, 1952, Serial No. 268,212

12 Claims. (Gli194--9) Myinvention relates to aself-operated checking system for baggage or the like having a plurality of lockers which can be individually" locked and, more" particularly, to a plurality oi lockers having a single coinregisterand slug rejector unit' for operating any'oifi the loekers in: the system.

Customer-operated checking: systems have heretofore been: provided employing aplu-rality: of-loclrerswhich can be" locked? by: the: customer to secure his luggage: by depositing.- a-diine: on quarter in a coin slot associated with the locker", then turning: the: key. in the associated lock: to lock therlocken door,- .andlremovirrg.tlie hey; Theproperty can: be later.- retrieved by the customer: with the=keyr which he retains" in his. possession. during the time hlSL-PI DPBTW ische'cked- It: hasfbfienillhfif.PI'BJCtlCElTBIZEtOfOIGftG have a separate coin; register" and: slug: reie'ctor; associated with each; individual? lbcker'in the: systems This; duplication has proved costly. In an effort to reduce the costar-such installation; the coin register: and.- slug rejector. have been made ase'cheaply as: possible,'. with; a: resulting; sacrifice in thewaccu-racyan'd effectiveness of theslu'grreiector-unih.

It isthe generalv object. of! invention; to-avo'id-z and overcome the foregoing andotherzdiflicultiesoi andiobjections to prior art practices by theprovisionrofianrimproved; locker system-which: is less expensiveto-manufacture: and: maintain, and which is. substantially foolproof inroperation. r

Another object of. rim invention. isto provide at selfchecki-ng, locker systemfor baggage. orathe likeemploying aplurality ofi loekers having. a single; coin register. andrslu-g rejeetorunit.

Another object oi invention. is. the provisionofa locker-System01, lesser. cost but greater efiiciency andcharacterized. by; improved. coin; register-rand. slug rej'ector mechanism. a

The aforesaidobjectsotmyinvention,.and-other objects i which will become apparentas. thedescription. proceeds, are, achieved. by'providing-a. self-operated. baggagechecking apparatus. comprising. a plurality off. lockers,., a. hinged door. on each of. the lockers, a lock. associated witheach locker. for. locking, the locker. door. and adapted. to. be turned by a matingkey. to either. alocked. or. unlocked position, a. solenoid=operated detent. associatedwith. each lock to. secure. the Iocloin. unlocked position. until. energi'zed, a reset. switch operatively associated Withi-the. lock and adapted to be closed'whenthe. loeki'slurned' through a position intermediate ofthe locked andunl'ockedlpositions, a slug, rejector adapted to receivecoinsof a. predetermined denomination, .an electrical coinregister. switch associatedlwith the slugreiector and. adaptedt'obesrnomentarily closed bythe. deposit. of! a coinof proper. value thereii1,, an el'e'ct'rical'power source, a ratchet relay electrically connectedin series with. the power source,..a.single pol'e double-throw switch actuated by, the ratchet relay to connect alternately the ratchet relay. to the coinregister switch and the reset switch, andv a second. relay, switch actuatedlby theratchet relay, the second relay. switch conmeeting, the solenoidlock detent to the, power source-on 7O alternate cycles of'the' ratchet relay.

H 2,723,017 Patented Nov. 8, 1955 For a better understanding of my invention, reference should'be had to the accompanying drawingawherein:

Fig; l is a schematic diagram" showing the electrical switching circuit and associated key=locks and lockers; and

Fig. 2'is" a modified form-of the invention. K

With specifie reference to the form of the invention illustratedin Fig: 1thenumeral-i 1 0 indicates generally a locker or the like of which two are illustrated, although it is to be understood that the. invention can be readily extended to include: any number of" such lockers; The lockers are generally supported in panels of twenty or thirty by" means or. frames-1 2. Locker doors 14 are hingedly supported lay-spring hinges 1'6 which normally act tourge the locker doors into closed position, as' shown in the figure; Mounted in the irame's-I'Z adj ac'ent' theside of the locker do'ors14' opposite the hinges 16* are the key locks, indicated generally at 18 a'n'd1-9; Thelock 1 8 is shown inthe? unlocked position with the key in place, while lock 19 is shown in: the locked position with the key removed.

The lock 18 isoperate'd: by'rneans' of a key'20=whiel 1, when. insertedin the lock and turned, rotates-the plug 21 of the lock and: the assooiat'edlocking: arm 22 as the key is turned tothe locked position; The rotary locking-arm 22 passes through the. slot 2'6. provided in the frame lz, and engages the lockertdoor 14- by means of theslo't 24 therein.

Associated with: the plug..-'2-1 of. the lock: is a solenoid detent assembly 28:. Theassembly'includes a solenoid 29 and at detent'Si)": spring loaded.to engage with a shallow hole 31 in the plug 21 of the loclels to secure the'lo'ck in the. unlocked position. When the: solenoid is: energized, thedetent'b' lSkdlSBn'gagEd: from the plug zl so that the loclscanibe' turned: to. the locked: position. 'l h'e' loch 18 is so arranged that. the: key: 20 can: only be removed fromt'he lock. when; the lock; isiin the lockedi position. A lookoperated reset: switch Mnassociated' witlr the; lock. 13, is so arrangedand desi'gnedrthatthe switchismomentarily closed-with: the initiali movement of the barrel 21 from unlocked t'o locked: position; but is otherwise-open:

In operation, to latch the locker door: 141 and remove the key 20 to secure property such as baggage 01'v the like in the:locker10,.it:l isnecessaryion a customer to first deposit a'requiredvsum: ofimoney; usually a dime or a quarter; To: this end, accoin-registerISZ, which is ad'apted to receivea coin ofxproperzdenomination, is v provided and preferably; is. mounted'onandi centrally'located inrespect to the lockerpanelt Thecoin register 32risiofr standard make. andis designed and arranged'to: reject slugs, bent coins; or coins of: improper. denomination and return them to the customer. Gloins acceptediby'theucoin'register 32 actuate wswitch-34'as they'drop through' into a collection box- (not-shown): A safety" release magnet 33 is provided in conjunctionwith the coins register 32' and is so arranged that, whenever the. magnet is non-energized, any. coins deposited; inthe coin: register. 32 are directly returned to the customer;v This insures return oi the customeris moneyinw the event of power failure of" the apparatus.

The i electrical circuit associated with: the coin register switch 34-and.thesolenoid=detent assembly 28" includes a power source- 36: of: battery" or" other: type which isconnected in; series through a solenoid 38 of: a5 ratchet-relay indicated generally at 40. Ratchet" relay 40 is a fastacting type ofi standard'const-ructiorr, such as Guardian relay series type S- D. Q. The ratehet relay, when energized, rotates a; cam 42, through an angleof 30 degrees for. example, the cam being; couplediby, means of a spring-pressed camfollower 4440- a pair. ofi switches 46 and48l The switches 46 and.48 are-ofthesingle-pole, double-throw type. Switch 46' alternately connects the ratchet relay solenoid 38 to the reset switch 27 and the coin register switch 34 upon successive electrical impulses through the solenoid 38. The switch 48 alternately completes the circuit from the power source 36 to the magnetic safety release 33 or to the solenoid detent 23. Every other electrical impulse through the solenoid 33 completes the electrical circuit from the power supply 36 through the solenoid 28 and simultaneously closes a circuit from the power source 36 through the solenoid 38 to the reset switch 27. Coin register switch 34 and switch 46 are closed for a sufficient length of time to produce a pulse through relay 40 sutficient to advance the ratchet a full step.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Assuming that the cam 42 and associated switches 46 and 48 are in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, the customer places his baggage in any unlocked locker, for example, the locker having lock 18. Next the customer deposits the proper coin in the coin register 32, and the switch 34 is momentarily closed. This completes a circuit through the switch 46, connecting the solenoid 38 with the power source 36 and thereby actuating the ratchet relay 4%. This, in turn, advances the cam 42 to one of its high points with. respect to follower 44, thereby moving the switch 48 to its upper or opposite position to complete the circuit through the solenoid detent 28. Thus, the solenoid detent 28 is energized from the electrical power source 36, thereby releasing the plunger 30 so that the customer can turn the key 20 into the locked position to secure the locker door 14, at which time the key 20 can be removed from the lock. The same movement of switch 48 to its opposite position de-energizes the safety release magnet 33 so that any additional coins deposited in the coin register 32, for example, by other customers before any of the locks are turned to complete the transaction, are immediately returned.

As the key 20 is turned in the lock, at a position intermediate the locked and unlocked position, the reset switch 27 is closed, completing a circuit through the switch 46 (which is in its uppermost position) and solenoid 33 with the power supply 36, so that the solenoid 38 is energized to move cam 42, whereby switches 46 and 48 are returned to their initial condition. The solenoid 29 is thus de-energized and the entire electrical circuit is returned to the Fig. 1 position, wherein it is prepared to serve the next customer in the same manner as just described.

The circuit is arranged so that all of the detent solenoids are connected in parallel as are the key-lock reset switches, so that any one of a number of lockers which are not in use are operated from the single coin register 32. It is to be understood, however, that as soon as the key 20 is turned in the lock to latch its associated locker, the lock plug associated with any other unused locker is immediately re-engaged by its associated solenoid-operated detent plunger by virtue of the resetting action of the lock switch 27 and associated circuit. Thus, although the solenoid detent on all lockers are actuated simultaneously when a coin is deposited in the coin register 32, as soon as the key 20 is turned to latch one locker, all the other lockers are again rendered inoperative un til a subsequent coin is deposited.

The detent 30 of each solenoid detent assembly 28 only engages to secure the plug of its associated lock when the lock is in the unlocked position so that any locked locker can be unlocked by the customer to get his luggage back merely by inserting the proper key and unlatching the locker, no part of the electrical circuit coming into play in this operation.

The wiring diagram of Fig. 2 is an alternative schematic circuit in which the elements which are identical with elements of Fig. l are indicated by the same number followed by the suifix a. In the modified circuit, the lockoperated reset switches 27 are connected in series. T he reset switches are so designed and arranged that they are til) normally closed when the locks 18 associated with locker doors 14 are in either the locked or unlocked position, but are momentarily opened as the associated lock is turned from one position to the other.

The switches 27 connect the power source 36 to a relay 52, which in turn is connected through the coin register switch 34 and thence through the solenoids 29, which are all connected in parallel, back to the power source 36 to complete the circuit.

Because the coin register switch 34 is only momentarily closed when a coin is deposited, a normally open shunting switch 54, operated by the relay 52 and adapted to close when the relay is energized, is provided to maintain the circuit through the solenoid-detent assemblies 28 until one of the reset switches 27 is opened. The relay 52, in addition, opens a normally closed switch 56 when energized to break the circuit through the safety release magnet 33 when the apparatus is in use. The switches 54 and 56 are biased to their normal positions by spring 60.

The operation of the modified circuit of Fig. 2 is believed evident from the above description. The function of the circuit in conjunction with a multi-locker system is the same as the circuit of Fig. 1.

From the above description, it will be recognized that the objects of my invention have been achieved by providing a locker system for self-checking of baggage, parcels, or the like, including a plurality of such lockers which are coin-operated from a single coin register and slug rejector unit. The advantages of such an arrangement are: less expensive to manufacture, simpler operation, reduced cost of service and maintenance, and, because a completely foolproof coin register and slug rejector can be readily employed, an additional saving in operation is efiiected.

While in accordance with the patent statutes, certain best known embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is to be particularly understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby, but is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A self-operated baggage checking apparatus or the like comprising a plurality of lockers, a hinged door on each of said lockers, a lock associated with each locker for locking the locker door and adapted to be turned by a mating key to either a locked or unlocked position, a detent associated with the lock to secure the lock in unlocked position, a solenoid assembly to operate said detent, a reset switch operatively associated with the lock and adapted to be actuated when the key is turned in the lock to de-energize said solenoid, a slug rejector adapted to receive coins of predetermined characteristic, an electrical coin-register switch operatively associated with the slug rejector and adapted to be actuated by the deposit of a coin of proper value in the slug rejector, an electrical power source, a ratchet relay electrically connected in series with the power source, a single-pole, doublethrow switch actuated by the relay to connect alternately the ratchet relay to the coin register switch and the reset switches, and a second relay switch actuated by the ratchet relay, the second relay switch connecting the detent solenoids to the power source on alternate cycles of the ratchet relay simultaneously with the closing of the coin register switch.

2. A self-operated baggage checking apparatus or the like comprising a plurality of lockers, a hinged door on each of said lockers, locking means associated with each locker for locking the locker door, releasable lock securing means adapted normally to secure said locking means in unlocked position, a reset switch operatively associated with the locking means, a slug rejector adapted to receive coins of predetermined characteristics, an electrical coinregister switch operatively associated with the slug rejector and adapted to be closed momentarily by the deposit of a coin of proper value in the slug rejector, an electrical power source, a relay electrically connected in series with the power source, a first switch actuated by the relay to connect alternately the relay to the coin-register switch and the reset switches, and a second relay switch actuated by the relay, the second relay switch adapted to release said releasable lock-securing means on alternate cycles of the relay simultaneously with the closing of the coin register switch.

3. A self-service locker system including a plurality of lockers, a door movably secured to each locker, a keyoperated lock for locking each of said doors, releasable means at each lock individually engaging the locks for securing said locks in unlocked position, a single coin-operated means for collectively releasing said releasable means and permitting any of said doors to be locked, and means on one lock and operable by a locking movement thereof for reengaging said releasable means on all locks in unlocked position simultaneously with the locking of said one.

4. A self-service locker system including a plurality of lockers, a door movably secured to each locker, a keyoperated lock for locking each of said doors, a releasable detent operatively associated with each lock for securing said locks in unlocked position, solenoid means for releasing the detent, a single coin-operated means for operating said solenoid means and permitting any of said doors to be locked, and means at one lock and operable by a locking movement thereof for reengaging said detents on all locks in unlocked position simultaneously with the locking of said one.

5. A self-service locker system including a plurality of lockers, a door hingedly secured to each locker, a keyoperated lock for locking each of said doors, a solenoidreleased detent operatively associated with each lock for securing said locks in unlocked position, a solenoid for releasing said detent, a single coin register and slug rejector adapted to energize said detent solenoids for releasing said detents and permitting any of said doors to be locked, and means including a circuit closer at one lock and closeable by a locking movement thereof for reengaging said detents on all locks in unlocked position simultaneously with the locking of said one.

6. A self-service locker system including a plurality of lockers, a door movably secured to each locker, a keyoperated lock for locking each of said doors, a solenoidreleased detent operatively associated with each lock for securing said locks in unlocked position, a single coin register and slug rejector adapted to energize said solenoid detents for releasing said detents and permitting any of said doors to be locked, holding means for maintaining each detent out of engagement with its lock until one lock is locked, and means including parallel circuit closers on each of said locks and closeable by a locking movement of its lock thereof for reengaging said detents on all locks in unlocked position simultaneously with the locking of one.

7. A self-operated locker system including a plurality of lockers, a door hingedly secured to each locker, a lock associated with each door for locking the door, a solenoid-released detent operatively associated with each loci; for securing the locks in unlocked position, a solenoid for releasing said detent, a single slug rejector adapted to take coins of certain characteristics, a coin-operated switch associated with the slug rejector, a relay connected to said switch and adapted to be energized by a coin deposited in the slug rejector, said relay establishing a circuit whereby the detent solenoids are energized, a lockoperated reset switch operatively associated with each lock and adapted to de-energize all detent solenoids simultaneously with the locking of one of the lockers.

8. A self-service baggage checking apparatus or the like comprising a plurality of lockers, a hinged door on each of said lockers, locking means associated with each locker for locking the locker door, lock-securing means adapted normally to secure said locking means in unlocked position, a reset switch operatively associated with the locking means, a slug rejector adapted to receive coins of predetermined characteristics, an electrical coin register switch operatively associated with the slug rejector and adapted to be closed momentarily by the deposit of a coin in the slug rejector, an electrical power source, said reset switches being connected in series with said power source, a relay in series with the reset switches and the coin register switch, a normally open relay operated switch connected in parallel with said coin register switch, said lock-securing means being connected in parallel with each other and in series with the coin register switch to complete the circuit back to the power supply.

9. A self-service locker checking system comprising a plurality of lockers, a door movably secured to each locker, a key operated lock for locking each of said doors, a releasable means individual to a lock therefor engaging the lock for securing said lock in unlocked position, a common coin operated mechanism adapted to release at least certain selected ones of said releasable means to permit the doors associated therewith to be locked.

10. A self-service locker checking system comprising a plurality of lockers, a door movably secured to each locker, a key operated lock for locking each of said doors, a releasable means individual to a lock therefor engaging the lock for securing said lock in unlocked position, a common coin operated mechanism adapted to release at least certain selected ones of said releasable means to permit the doors associated therewith to be locked, and means individual to a lock and operable by a locking movement thereof for re-engaging any of said "certain releasable means in the unlocked position simultaneously with the locking of one of said locks.

11. In a locker checking system having a plurality of lockers, a door associated with each of said lockers and a key-operated lock associated with each of said doors, the combination of, releasable means individual to a lock and adapted to secure the locks in unlocked position, a common coin-operated mechanism for releasing at least one selected releasable means to permit the locking of the door associated therewith, and means individual to each lock and operable by a locking movement thereof for re-engaging said releasable means when said lock is unlocked.

12. A self-service baggage checking apparatus or the like comprising a plurality of lockers, a hinged door on each of said lockers, a lock associated with each locker for locking the locker door and adapted to be turned by a mating key to either a locked or unlocked position, a solenoid-released detent associated with the lock to secure the lock in unlocked position, a solenoid adapted to be energized to release said detent, a reset switch operatively associated with the lock and adapted to be actuated when the key is turned in the lock to thereby deenergize said solenoid, a slug rejector adapted to receive coins of predetermined characteristics, an electrical coin register switch operatively associated with the slug rejec tor and adapted to be actuated by the deposit of a coin in the slug rejector, said detent solenoids being connected in parallel with each other and in series with said coin register switch, a normally open relay operated switch connected in parallel with said coin register switch, an electrical power source, a relay connected in series with said coin register switch and said power source.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,921,610 Du Grenier Aug. 8, 1933 1,970,006 Gilchrist Aug. 14, 1934 1,971,228 McLaren Aug. 21, 1934 2,165,590 Tratsch July 11, 1939 2,266,579 Adam Dec. 16, 1941 2,442,174 May May 25, 1948 

